International Women's Club of Helsinki

Escape to Moominvalley at the Architecture & Design Museum
2026-03-18 11:00 - 11:45 (Europe/Helsinki) | Architecture & Design Museum, Korkeavuorenkatu 23, Helsinki, 00100, Finland
Join us for a guided tour of this delightful exhibition at the Architecture & Design Museum

Escape to Moominvalley: Reflecting Reality Through Tove Jansson’s Imaginary World

The exhibition takes a fresh look at the connections between Jansson, the Moomins, architecture, and design. The journey begins with places and landscapes close to Jansson’s heart, before leading visitors into the imaginative spaces of Moominvalley. The exhibition reveals how places central to Jansson’s life, such as her Helsinki Atelier home and the remote summer island Klovharun, shaped her creative world. Through archived materials, personal objects, and photographs, visitors can step into these spaces and experience Jansson’s persona.

At the heart of the exhibition lies a reimagined Moominvalley where the stories’ environments are viewed through the perspectives of their inhabitants. What does “shared space” encompass in the context of the Moomin family’s bath house, a building ultimately claimed by Too-Ticky and the invisible shrews during the winter?

Ladies Night | Robusto
2026-03-19 17:00 - 20:00 | Restaurant Robusto, Docksgatan 7, Helsinki, 00150
Join us for a very special ladies night, at the atmospheric restaurant Robusto – a cosy à la carte restaurant located in the Merikortteli district of Punavuori.

We have the pleasure of being welcomed by Robusto owner and Masterchef Judge Kape Aihinen, who will join us at the bar.

We will converse with Kape about entrepreneurship, wellbeing at work, and leadership. After which, we will enjoy healthy food, made with Finnish flavor and ingredients, in the form of a three course dinner and a welcome drink (total 65€).

Gather with us for an afterwork with us to catch up, laugh, and enjoy. We look forward to seeing you there.

p.s. This event is open to guests – have a friend you think would fit right into IWCH? Invite them along, and remember to RSVP of their behalf below!

Last day to cancel 16.03. (email monica@iwch.fi), cancellations after 16.03. will be charged 65€.

Inside the Arts | Jasmin Anoschkin
2026-03-26 17:00 - 18:00 | Arabia Art Department, Hämeentie 135A, Helsinki, 00560
Join Inside the Arts for an intimate evening in the studio of Finnish scupltor Jasmin Anoschkin, where we will have the special opportunity to meet the artist herself, hear about her practice as an artist, and engage in open dialogue together.

We welcome you to join us in this unique look into the private studio of Anoschkin; situated in the Arabia Art Department.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Jasmin Anoschkin (b. 1980, Pori, Finland)

Sculptor, Graduated from The Academy of Fine Arts in 2004

“Jasmin’s work continuously alludes to pop culture, sometimes making references to the Western toy industry, or presenting dunkheap ladies who, by carrying their precious loads, have become landfill themselves.Each of these has a story to tell – although they look amusing at first glance, they reveal much about the world around us.” – Elise Simonsson, Executive director / Arabia Art Department Society

Inside the Arts is a recurring event series organised by IWCH members Tanja Vuorela and Sofia Salmenhaara (Board Member, Online Communications), which aims to bring together local contemporary artists and art lovers. In this event series, artists open their private studios to us, and engage in an open dialogue. These are unique chances to dive into the work and oeuvre of artists, and we warmly welcome you to join us.

The visits are arranged primarily on weekdays, from 17-18 – although good conversation often leads to us sticking around a little longer.

Walk & Coffee
2026-04-15 10:00 - 12:00
Join us for a Walk and Coffee

Please join us on Wednesday 15 April for a walk around Lauttasaari. Fairly easy, flat walk around 5km. Meet outside Koivusaari Metro Station. We are heading around the north of the island.

Photo credit : Seiya Maeda

Where: Koivusaari Metro Station

If coming by car, I recommend to park at Lauttasaari Metro and take metro one stop further to Koivusaari. We will end the walk near Lauttasaari station

Difficulty level: fairly easy

Deadline to register: 14/4/2026

Guest or members only: guests are welcome

Who is the organizer: Sarah Kolkman, sarah@iwch.fi

Early Birds' Morning Coffee
2026-04-17 08:15 - 09:15, 2026-05-22 08:15 - 09:15
Kick start your day into the weekend by meeting eager ladies who all get better after some coffee!

Come as you are and enjoy the cosy atmosphere of the café, the buzz of the coffee machine and people in perfect harmony. Welcome!

Where? Fratello Torrefazione, Yliopistonkatu 6, opposite Helsinki Uni Metro Station

Walk & Coffee
2026-05-07 10:00 - 12:00 | Market Square, Kaartinkaupunki, Helsinki, 00100
Please join us for a walk and coffee around Katajanokka. Flat,easy walk about 5km.

Meet at the Empress Stone monument on Market Square

IWCH Bookclub #2 - Raising Hare
2026-05-07 17:30 - 19:00
Great books, global minds, cozy conversationsDo you dream of joining a book club? This is where you might start without having to commit to a meeting every month.IWCH Book Club #2 will for a test period try opening up the book club for members that would like to meet “after work” hours and discuss a good book with other book lovers.If you are inspired by our choice of book, you can sign up and join that particular meeting. We are a core group of 5 people – so it will never be solely newcomers. We normally meet in the center of Helsinki at 17:30. The address will be given before the meeting.We will read: Chloe Dalton: Raising HareThe next meeting is: Thursday 7th May

Organiser : Annegrethe Skov. To cancel your attendance please contact sarah@iwch.fi

Opening Ceremony – IWCH 40th Anniversary Art Exhibition
2026-05-11 17:00 - 18:00 | Sanomatalo, Töölönlahdenkatu 2, Helsinki, 00100
Echoes of International Creativity:

IWCH 40th Anniversary Art Exhibition

Join us for the opening of an art exhibition showcasing our own members’ works, on May 11th at 17:00 at the iconic Sanomatalo. The exhibition is a landmark event, celebrating 40th Anniversary of the International Women’s Club of Helsinki.

In this special jubilee showcase, we explore the intersection of identity, space, and global connection through the eyes of our talented members. Featuring a curated selection of paintings and literary works by international women artists living in Finland, the exhibition demonstrates how creative expression bridges cultures.

Come and experience the power of creative sisterhood and four decades of international community in Helsinki!

Sparkling drinks and light snacks will be provided.

Free for members, guests, and for public too. Mark your calendar so see you there!

Opening Ceremony – IWCH 40th Anniversary Art Exhibition

Monday 11th of May 2026, 17:00 – 18:00

Sanomatalo, Töölönlahdenkatu 2, 00100 Helsinki

Celebrate international creativity in its finest forms.

Join us for an exhibition featuring curated paintings and literary works from the members of the International Women’s Club of Helsinki at Sanomatalo lobby area.

Exhibition open 11.05. – 29.05.

IWCH Annual General Meeting | Luncheon at Hotel Lilla Roberts
2026-05-12 11:00 - 14:00
This is the last luncheon of the season 2025-2026 and our AGM! Please, join us for a thorough recap of the year: activities offered, members joined, and budget management. We have had an exciting year and the board can’t wait to share with you all what has been achieved in the last months!

Schedule:

10:30-11:00 Arrival

11:00-12:00 AGM, at Meeting Room Selim

The meeting is called to order

The elections of a chairperson and secretary for the meeting

Select scrutineers of the minutes of the AGM

Legality and corum

Presentation of the Annual Report, the accounts of the year and the auditor‘s report

Confirming of the closing of the accounts and action is taken to release the Executive Board of responsibility

The presentation of the activity plan for the following year and the approval of the membership dues and the budget for the following year.

Action is taken on the number of regular and alternate members of the Executive Board

The President of the Club for the following one-year-period is elected

Other regular and alternate members of the Executive Board are elected

Two auditors and deputy auditors are elected

12:00-14:00: Luncheon, at Krog Roba

Venue : Hotel Lilla Roberts, Pieni Roobertinkatu 1, 00130 Helsinki

Capacity: 40 participants

Members only

Last day to register or cancel: Friday May 8th by 10am

Afternoon Tea with ULPU
2026-05-16 15:00 - 17:00 | Cajsan Helmi – Café and tea room, Kaisaniemen puisto, Kaisaniemenranta 6, Helsinki, 00100
Join us for a Saturday Afternoon Tea with ULPU, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spouses Association.

This special gathering brings together IWCH and ULPU members who come from various parts of the world and Finland. The venue is at the beautiful Mannerheim and Snellman-cabinets of Casjan Helmi. Come for a relaxing and engaging afternoon, sharing experiences from the countries in which you have lived or worked.

58€ per person including tea, sandwiches, cakes and small appetizers. Sparkling wine and additional drinks are available to purchase on site.

Members only.

Registration by May 11, 2026

Inside the Arts | Anna Retulainen's Atelier
2026-05-19 17:00 - 18:00 | Atelier Anna Retulainen (Address to be shared with participants)
Join us for another exclusive dip into the Helsinki art scene. This time, Inside the Arts visits the atelier of Finnish painter Anna Retulainen.

About Anna Retulainen:

“In her working process Anna Retulainen contemplates painting conventions and perceptions of painting. The subjects of her works are merely platforms for the application of paint; for finding a balance between movement, the layers of paint, and the vying between colours.

Her paintings consist of details drawn from everyday life, from journeys real and imagined, or from the masterpieces of art history. Her style is expressionistic, and yet refined in a stylized manner. Above all, Retulainen is an exquisite colourist. The themes of her works vary from her beloved vegetable, fruit and flower still lifes, to more intimate drawings of her everyday life and those close to her.

For Retulainen drawing is a way of living; it is her way of putting the world in its place. Only at her studio do the drawings become paintings, fusions of life and art.”

https://helsinkicontemporary.com/artists/anna-retulainen

Nest Factory - Summer Fashion Show
2026-05-20 18:00 - 20:00
Get ready for the summer heat, because it’s coming!

You are warmly welcome to enjoy our own Club models dressed in Tracey’s sustainable summer fashion.

Nest Factory specializes in handcrafted resort, loungewear, and considered pieces for the home, designed with a touch of bohemian ease. Founded in 2017 by an American living in Finland, Tracey Powers-Erkkilä, Nest Factory is shaped by sun-seeking travel, textile love, and a deep respect for the artisans behind each creation.

Garments are produced in small, intentional collections, using natural materials and traditional handcraft techniques by artisans in Northern India. The focus is on modern silhouettes, breathable materials, and slightly feminine looks that work both on the street and around the home.

Tracey Powers-Erkkilä

… has been living in Finland since 2000. She is a social worker by profession, though life abroad has meant career transformation working for EU drug addiction services, Nokia’s CR/Internal Communications team, and then founding Nest Factory in 2017. For years, there was a brick-and-mortar shop in Ullanlinna, which has now moved online. Nest Factory is wholesaled throughout Europe, the US, Canada and Japan.

Details:

We meet in Yvonne Westerlund’s home in Katajanokka where Tracey is present, of course. More details upon signing up.

Some bubbly and refreshments will be served.

20 people max and friends are welcome!

Signup by Friday 15.5. for some fun!

Host Yvonne Westerlund, 050 563 4877, yvonne@iwch.fi

Visit | Reetta Hiltunen's Atelier
2026-05-22 17:30 - 19:00 | Reetta Hiltunen Atelier and Boutique, Kapteeninkatu 3, Helsinki, 00140
Warm welcome to visit Reetta Hiltunen’s atelier in Ullanlinna,

… where she offers a discussion and glimpse into her vibrant world, where painting, printmaking, and surface pattern design intersect in interior and fashion context. Small snacks available.

Reetta holds art degrees from international universities in London and New York, and a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking from the Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki. Her works have been exhibited internationally, receiving awards and being included in collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum.

IWCH Book Club #2
2026-06-09 17:30 - 19:00
IWCH Book Club #2– Great books, global minds, cozy conversationsThis is the second event in the IWCH Book Club #2 test period to try opening up the book club for members that would like to meet “after work” hours and discuss a good book with other book lovers.If you are inspired by our choice of book, you can sign up and join that particular meeting. We are a core group of 5 people – so it will never be solely newcomers.We normally meet in the center of Helsinki at 17:30. The address will be given before the meeting.The next meeting is:

Tuesday 9th of June at 17:30

Note : date changed from 10 JuneWe will read: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Dream Count

We welcome you to the “youngest” (newest) IWCH Book Club!Great books, global minds & cozy conversations!

Organiser : Annegrethe Skov. To cancel your attendance please contact sarah@iwch.fi
